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NOTICE: Release is still in progress. Everything is subject to change. A fanfiction written for Zaffie's contest. Criticism is lovely; the harsher, the better~! Prologue ~ Straying from the Path Murder is an ugly word. Yet it was the only word that ran through Lionfang's head as he crept through the silent ThunderClan forests. The golden tabby's fur glowed in the dim moonlight. If any patrols were to see him, it would all be over. He had to compensate for his unfortunately bright pelt with absolute silence. His bulky frame made it ever so difficult; unless Lionfang hunched forward and stepped on just the right part of his paw, the grass beneath him would let out a deafening crunch. He was no ShadowClan tom, that was for sure. The distant snap of a branch rang in Lionfang's ears. He froze- was someone following him? No... the moonhigh patrol was near the WindClan border. He had made sure of that before he'd left. The fur on the back of Lionfang's neck bristled. Someone was out there. Out of the corner of his eye, Lionfang saw a flash of grey fur. Not a smart move. Lionfang unsheathed his lengthy claws and flexed them in the soft dirt. Apparently his mysterious follower hadn't the sense to keep away. Lionfang cocked his head and flicked his tail. "I now you're out there." His purr was eerily calm. "I should hope so," a she-cat replied, "You're the one who called me here." She emerged from the shadows just before Lionfang with her head held high. He took in her appearance with an uncertain expression. The slender grey feline was half his size. Her sharp blue eyes didn't fit her at all. Lionfang held her frosty look with ease. "Please don't tell me you're Saskia." The she-cat snorted. "Am I not what you expected?" She paused to sit on her haunches, then said, "I can leave if you don't think I'm capable enough." Lionfang's eyes grew wide. "No! I think- no, I know you're just the she-cat for the task. Please... please stay." The golden tom had to struggle to keep his purr from cracking. There was no way he was going to reveal how desperate he was to an outsider. It was bad enough he had sought out the aid of a rogue, but he knew that if he didn't act fast, all of his struggles would be for naught. Saskia's nose twitched and her eyes grew narrow. The grey she-cat sniffed the air, then promptly grew stiff. "Hurry it up. If any of your tree-climbing friends show up, I'm not going to stick around." Lionfang nodded. He took a small step closer to her. "Listen, here's my plan-" "Too close. You're ruffling my fur." Saskia interjected. She gave her shoulder a quick lick. Lionfang reluctantly backed away. "Anyway," he said in a hushed voice, "I'm going to bring her out here tomorrow at moonhigh. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll find a way. I might not be with her, but I'll follow." "You don't even have to come," Saskia purred, "I'll have her dead and disposed of before sunrise." Lionfang gave her another nod. "Make sure they won't find her. I can't be associated with this or I'll be finished..." Saskia rolled her eyes. "I'm no amateur. You'll be fine. Just run back to your silly little 'clan' before they find you missing." Lionfang didn't hesitate to rise to his paws. His stomach felt hollow as he slowly turned his back to the she-cat. Something was gnawing at him from the inside out, but it wasn't guilt. No... he wasn't the least bit sorry about what he was going to do. His target deserved the death he'd arranged for her. It was fear that was consuming him. If something were to go wrong... Lionfang winced and pushed the thought from his mind. He took shaky steps away from Saskia with a single thought in his mind: Nothing will go wrong. Nothing will go wrong. Nothing will- "Don't forget your end of the deal." Lionfang paused. Another wave of panic tore through him. The tom dug his claws into the dirt. "...I won't." With that, the golden tabby took off at a run toward ThunderClan camp, leaving the lithe grey she-cat behind. Confidence leeched into him as he weaved through the trees. She was a professional killer. He simply had to have faith in her. With Saskia's help, he would be deputy within the quarter-moon. He would finally have a position worthy of his talents. He would finally recieve the respect he deserved. Lionfang flicked his tail. Power was within his grasp at last. Chapter One ~ Silver-Tongued Snakes The scariest place in ThunderClan territory was the badger's den. A shadowy cave concealed by brambles that even most warriors took care to avoid. Rosepaw knew too much about the horrific creature that dwelled within. He didn't understand why Mountainstar insisted on sending him there every day; it was torturous just to be around the den! The overpowering stench of herbs... the moans and groans of the cats inside... Rosepaw took a deep breath. With his wad of moss clenched between his teeth, he padded into Badgertail's den. The floor of the cavern was freezing beneath his paws, but Rosepaw pressed on. "Herro?" He called into the dim den, "Ish me, Rowsuhpaw!" "Have you got dirt for brains?" A she-cat hissed from beyond the shadows, "Nightwatcher is sleeping!" Badgertail emerged from the shadows. Her white fur was frayed wildly, as if she hadn't shared tongues in days. Her black-tipped tail lashed around wildly behind her, signalling that she wasn't in the best of moods. Then again, when ever was she in a good mood? Rosepaw gulped and lowered his head to the ground. He released his grip on his moss, setting it gently in front of Badgertail. "Sorry," he muttered. Badgertail huffed. She looked over the moss, picked it up, then disappeared into the darkness once again. There was a minute's hesitation before she re-emerged. Rosepaw was still crouched in a bow, not wanting to risk the medicine cat's displeasure. "Nightwatcher wants to see you," Badgertail said flatly. Rosepaw slid back into a sitting position. With narrowed eyes he replied, "Tell her I don't want to see her." His words were bitter, but Rosepaw didn't care. There were few cats in the Clan he couldn't stand to be around, and Nightwatcher was one of them. She was one of the most mousebrained she-cats he'd ever met. Nightwatcher was the kind of cat that made dirt outside of the dens, the kind that dropped crowfood in the freshkill pile... the kind that named her tom-kits 'Rosepaw'. Badgertail barred her teeth. "Are you really going to talk back to me? You get your rump to your mother right now, or I'll make sure Mountainstar hears about your inability to listen to your superiors!" Rosepaw's ears flattened against his head. Badgertail always made such dirty threats; she knew very well that Mountainstar was on the verge of making him some sort of permanent apprentice, and would gladly take pleasure in giving him something else to hold over Rosepaw's head. "Fine." Badgertail took a step to the side. She held her head high as Rosepaw trudged past her and into the depths of her medicine den. It took him a moment to find his mother, whose coat almost blended with the shadows. The tortoiseshell patches on her black fur was enough for him to find her, sprawled out across a nest of thick moss. "Hello," Nightwatcher said, "Come to visit me at last, have you?" Rosepaw's eyes drifted to her belly. She was laying on her side, allowing him to see the reason why she had been confined to Badgertail's den in the first place; there was a long gash that ran across her stomach. Rosepaw felt her fur bristle when he took in the wound. Tensions had been running high between ThunderClan and ShadowClan for the last few moons, and when an unfortunate apprentice had been found murdered on ShadowClan territory, a battle had broken out. Many cats had died, and Nightwatcher had been one of the few lucky survivors. Well, lucky for her, anyway. "What do you want?" Rosepaw hissed, "I've got things to do, so hurry up." Nightwatcher's whiskers twitched at his unexpected hostility. "I just wanted to see you. It's been a good quartermoon since I last spoke to you-" "Because I've been stuck in the StarClan-forsaken apprentice's den! Mountainstar flat out refused to give me a warrior name, and it's all because of you!" Rosepaw's voice cracked as he finished. He had never directly accused his mother of anything before, but moons of watching other apprentices turn into warriors had turned him into a bitter tom. He couldn't stand his mother and her terrible naming skills any more.